It's Friday and we are already halfway through the first month of 2009. Time is certainly speeding up, but mostly in retrospect. And the world continues to deliver dilemmas on the tips of the African Rhinoceros and other horned beasts.
For example, you can't even buy a cup of coffee without taking some political test. It makes perfect sense to me that Invercargill would be the locale for making a stand on [the Gaza incursion] (insert phrase of preference to suit your view).
And whilst we think about defining this conflict, consider how we manage to redefine all sorts of other issues.
Maybe I should declare myself a libertarian and announce also that, as a libertarian, I do not believe for one moment in property rights. State Control is the way for Libertarians to go, and we Libertarians need to get with the times and adapt.
Now a few Libertarians (but not all) will say I'm talking rubbish, just as Fr Kennedy is when he says he's Catholic.
Whilst he appears to be a great humanitarian (and it is easy to be both Catholic and a great humanitarian), we have a problem if he radically redefines Catholicism to suit his personal definition, for numerous reasons.
No doubt, Richard Dawkins can also declare himself a Catholic and hold that atheism is a central Catholic doctrine and must be incorporated into the latest papal encyclicals. I'm not sure the Pope is going to go for that one.
Well, must dash for the train. Will log in later and be appalled at how much damage writing without thinking can achieve...I'll come back later after having a few drinks and fix this up...hang-on, there may be a flaw in that plan too..
UPDATE: And speaking of how much redefining goes on, here's a fascinating look at how a picture says a thousand words, and zooming out says another thousand, and changing the angle says another thousand. Media Manipulation, chapter by chapter [Hat tip: Redbaiter]
For example, you can't even buy a cup of coffee without taking some political test. It makes perfect sense to me that Invercargill would be the locale for making a stand on [the Gaza incursion] (insert phrase of preference to suit your view).
And whilst we think about defining this conflict, consider how we manage to redefine all sorts of other issues.
Maybe I should declare myself a libertarian and announce also that, as a libertarian, I do not believe for one moment in property rights. State Control is the way for Libertarians to go, and we Libertarians need to get with the times and adapt.
Now a few Libertarians (but not all) will say I'm talking rubbish, just as Fr Kennedy is when he says he's Catholic.
Whilst he appears to be a great humanitarian (and it is easy to be both Catholic and a great humanitarian), we have a problem if he radically redefines Catholicism to suit his personal definition, for numerous reasons.
No doubt, Richard Dawkins can also declare himself a Catholic and hold that atheism is a central Catholic doctrine and must be incorporated into the latest papal encyclicals. I'm not sure the Pope is going to go for that one.
Well, must dash for the train. Will log in later and be appalled at how much damage writing without thinking can achieve...I'll come back later after having a few drinks and fix this up...hang-on, there may be a flaw in that plan too..
UPDATE: And speaking of how much redefining goes on, here's a fascinating look at how a picture says a thousand words, and zooming out says another thousand, and changing the angle says another thousand. Media Manipulation, chapter by chapter [Hat tip: Redbaiter]
I'm back, I'm appalled and I'm only on my first glass of wine.
ReplyDeleteHowdy Zen. Not many of us about at the moment, it seems. No Minister's been relying on me and Fairfacts Media most of this week (er, in other words it's been almost exclusively relying on Fairfacts Media and I've made a few comments).
ReplyDeleteEvening all! It's been another stunning day in Wanganui, otherwise known as the Riviera of the West Coast (NI).
ReplyDeleteHowdy PM.
ReplyDeleteProbably too much to ask that every-one is down at the publicly funded library :-). I enjoyed that post of yours and the ensuing debate. It has been most instructive - yet another lead in for a post I want to do, but is on a long list. Our blog's been quiet too.
There's no way I can keep up with the likes of DPF and FFM - NZC does well to hit 50 posts across 5 authors per month. I think 60-75 is a good target for NZC. Well see how we do in 2009.
Another blogger comes in from the sun. Bon soir Inventory2.
ReplyDeleteEvening all.
ReplyDeleteI2 if it's the West Coast we know it's the North Island because The West Coast is in the south :)
32 degrees in Oamaru today and nearly as hot in Wanaka where many poor souls were competing in a triathlon.
When it's a triathlon (or a marathon) poor soles make poor souls.
ReplyDeleteGood evening. Well said about Fr Kennedy, I say the same about John Spong calling himself a Christian.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's quiet on the blogs, but I can't complain, I've got a thesis due in a month and a half and shouldn't be on here anyway...
31 here
ReplyDeleteI was well horrified at what a slanging match that libraries post turned into (belatedly, given that I was doing plenty of the slanging). Still, it'll boost our January comments figures nicely...
ReplyDeleteEvening all. What a beautiful day it was!
ReplyDeleteWorking night shift, but we still managed to enjoy some of it.And seeing the crisp, clear dawn come up this morning was pretty good.
Pity about the Spitfire crash though--we were looking forward to getting some photographs of it. :-(
Triathlons? In this weather?? They must be mad!! The weather here is bound to turn to poop over the weekend, because it's Anniversary Weekend, and the Wanganui Sea Fishing Club's annual contest.
ReplyDeleteEvening all. Yes, a great shame about the Spitfire crash. Thought it was the lead one, but aren't there a few more?
ReplyDeleteHeard the flyover over Wellington today, but stuck in a building behind a building and didn't get any kind of view to see what was pelting over the harbour. Sounded absolutely wonderful though.
Probably too difficult to get out to the airshow this week-end, sigh.
Has anyone looked at the link at the end of my post? Nice bit of work, eh what?
ReplyDeleteI looked at it - like everything else from Redbaiter, it was hilarious in the way it goes on about bias while displaying no end of bias itself.
ReplyDeleteEven if so, that didn't invalidate his point, only make it ironic.
ReplyDeleteNice link, Zen.
ReplyDeleteAaaah, I see Milt--reporting bias in the MSM is in itself a display of bias...
Ever considered a career as a contortionist?
Off to work. Hopefully it'll be much busier than last night--where have all the drunks and druggies and streetfighters gone over the past few days?
Good morning everyone.
ReplyDeleteIt's Friday noon now.
Well, there's little else to do at the moment but make a few posts.
I'm in a cybercafe in York and I'm a regular visitor, along with the town library in Wetherby.
Taking the bus to either town gets me out of the house.
Just be greateful I could not get the mobile broadband to work in the small village between those two towns where my parents live, or else I would have been blogging profusely.
Good to see you posting again PM.
You are onbviously having a good summer and you are excellent in stirring up a reaction.
Here it is either cold and dry or mild and wet.
To day is wet, but there is talk of snow on Sunday/Monday.
What has happened to Adolf?
Regarding the link to "Media Manipulation", I can´t really see what the big deal is. I am sure there are lots of different sub-groups represented at that rally. Maybe even Greenpeace were there, and if a photo was taken of one of their members then so what if the paper didn´t disclose that the photo was of someone in that group. Wouldn´t you expect the commies and other leftist nutjobs to be participating in a peace rally?
ReplyDeleteHe draws quite a long bow in his conclusions including classifying his rant as an "essay". Big deal over nothing.
I don't see the media manipulation as needing to be a "big deal" or a "little deal", it's simply how easy it is for a reporter to select the photo they wish to use as a "proof" statement. Then people who weren't at the rally get fed a line that subtly shifts opinion.
ReplyDeleteI saw this from my experience with attending the anti-smacking protest. The tone of some of the reports and the words of the Prime Minister (who didn't attend) tried to make it sound like a bunch of out of work losers and religious nutters. Selective photos "backed" that up. I was in a suit, many people were well dressed and taking a long lunch to express their point of view.
The big deal here is not that political pundits and the likes of bloggers understand this frequent event, it's that the casual apolitical reader does not. Pointing it out can be useful, and to some, educational.
Although, I'd also say that it seems (to me) that yourself and PM write off the "professional protester" angle very quickly. We see children being used as human shields in Palestine, and Israel attacking anyway.
If we truly hate those tactics, and Israel's reaction then using youth to make a political protest in what was shown to be a highly manipulated way could also earn at least some passing scorn rather than a "no big deal"?
Well your mate who wrote the article thinks its a big deal.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think that the original photo was meant to be visually appealing. Funnily enough photographers tend to like their shots that way. But apparently there´s some underlying conspiracy of political bias...I´d say the author needs to get out more.
It´s no surprise that opponents to a rally would try to diminish it (as you mentioned with the anti-smacking protest) but this was a newspaper.
Sorry but its a far, far cry from youth at a peace protest to the human shield/bombing scenario in Gaza right now. Are you genuinely concerned at teenagers participating in a peace rally? They had a huge banner saying "Youth Against War" so certainly it was no secret they were youthful. And it is not uncommon for teenagers to be mature enough to hold a political opinion (or even something as simple as anti-war). So claims of manipulation are gratuitous. As a teenager I myself attended anti-abortion protests, joined a political party, rung Radio Pacific and of course I voted at 18. My views then were of course my own, no-one manipulated them.
Good evening everybody, sorry I am late... By jingos it is hot up here..
ReplyDeleteWell your mate who wrote the article thinks its a big deal.
ReplyDeleteYes, but my mate who comments here doesn't. That balances, I guess :-)
Personally I think that the original photo was meant to be visually appealing.
Damn good theory.
It´s no surprise that opponents to a rally would try to diminish it (as you mentioned with the anti-smacking protest) but this was a newspaper.
Not quite sure what your point is here. It was the newspapers and TV that ran, oh so easily, with the Government's line.
Are you genuinely concerned at teenagers participating in a peace rally?
I think it is great for teenagers to participate in politics. However, is your point one of those "some teenagers are not manipulated, therefore all teenagers are not manipulated" leaps of logic? Pointing out the communist orchestra leader was fair comment, I thought.
But at the end of the day, I'm surprised we have managed this many comments on this topic, when I thought the Invercargill Coffee Shop Service Policy may have yielded more worthy discussion, or the whole Fr Kennedy story? Perhaps I'll do a proper post on those topics, because there is a lot more to say about them still.
Are you still in Ireland Sean? Either you are posting late or perhaps up early? Have a good holiday.
Yes, but why is it always the worst that is assumed? Why assume the youth were manipulated? Why are people so paranoid all the time? That guys evaluation was just a big beat-up over nothing.
ReplyDeleteActually I moved to Madrid from Auckland about six weeks ago so it could look like I am posting at odd hours for some time!
...and yes I was in Dublin, but just over Christmas.
ReplyDelete